1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a photoelectric converter, particularly to a solid-state photoelectic converter which can be applied for a light-information input section such as a facsimile, digital copier, laser recorder, etc. or for par-cord reading means or other means for reading letters, images, etc.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There have recently made remarkable developments in so called solid-state photoelectric converters to be applied for light-information input sections such as a facsimile, digital copier, laser recorder, etc., or for means for reading letters or images written on manuscripts. Such photoelectric converters, for the purpose of miniaturization of the assembly as a whole, tend to have so called elongated light-receiving surfaces of a size equal to or approximate to that of the original image. Such converters can be reproduced with excellent resolution, being capable of reading faithfully original images and can be compact.
The photoelectric converters as mentioned above, having elongated light-receiving surfaces involve are a great problem with respect to the signal processing circuit section which is equipped to the photoelectric converting section.
More specifically, the aforesaid signal processing circuit section will occupy an area space far greater than the photoelectric converting section, whereby it is not possible to enjoy fully the advantage of the miniaturization effected by extremely shortened optical path length of a light-information signal received as input to the light-receiving surface, which has been accomplished by elongation of the photoelectric converting section.
To speak of one method conventionally used for resolving this problem, there is generally adopted a system wherein the group of photoelectric converting elements (image elements) in the photoelectric converting section are divided into a plurality of blocks, each being wired in a matrix to provide the signal processing circuit section common to each block, which signal processing circuit section can thus be actuated by these block elements.
The problem encountered in the matrix wiring, as mentioned above, is that the number of bonding steps necessary for taking out the signals through connection between each photoelectric element and the signal processing section are extremely increased unless the group of photoelectric converting elements is integrated with the signal processing section.
In order to overcome this problem, such an integration is generally attempted by providing the signal processing circuit section on a crystalline silicon substrate and forming the photoelectric converting section thereon.
However, since the light-receiving surface of the photoelectric converting section is elongated, it is required that the signal processing section be located adjacent to the photoelectric converting section. With such a requirement, use of a crystalline silicon substrate presents a problem.